Transom spray deflector



Feb. 5, 1957 E. c. KIEKHAEFER TRANSOM SPRAY DEFLECTOR Filed Sept. 2, 1954 the boat.

United States Patent TRANSOM SPRAY DEFLECTOR Elmer C. Kiekhaefer, Cedarburg, Wis. Application September), 1954, Se'rialNo. 453,856 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-,5)

This invention .relates generally to water and spray deflecting means and more specifically to a deflector member mounted on a transom of a boat for deflecting water andspray to prevent entry of the water and spray into theboat.

In operating boats, particularly when engine driven, there are several instances in which water and. spray tend to flow overthe top of the transom into the interior of This occurs in one case where the engine is reversed to move the boat in a backward direction. It

. also occurs'where the power used to propel the boat forward is suddenly cut off. Another situation wherethe water and spray maypass over the transom top into the boat is during normal operation and .results from the turbulence of the water caused by boat and engine action.

applicant, is defined as a transom of a boat in which the bottom of the boat lies in ahorizontal plane and the transom forms an angle with the horizontalplane with the top of the-transom being closer to the forward end of the boat than the bottom of the transom. A boat having a forward rake transom is-shown in Fig. 1 which is to be explained hereinafter. Applicants nvention resides in .providing means in combination with thetransom for preventing entry of water and spray-into the boat.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means mounted on or integral with the transom of a boat to prevent water and spray from flowing over the transom into the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide means mounted on or integral with the transom of a boat which may be readily and conveniently grasped by a person to facilitate lifting the rear end of the boat for transporting same.

Another object of the invention is to provide handle means mounted on or integral with the transom of a boat which may be conveniently grasped by a person in the water to facilitate entry into the boat therefrom.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a boat having a forward rake transom embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation View of the boat shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged segmental view in section of a portion of the boat taken along line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged segmental view in section similar to Fig. 3 of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged segmental view in orthographic projection of the transom and deflector of Fig. 2; and

preferably constructed of wood so that it may easily be applied to existing boats as by wood screws 8 as shown in Fig. 3, and in the case of new boats, may be integrally built into the transom 6. Although the cross section of the flange 7 is shown as being generally rectangular to provide a flange that is economical and easy to apply to present boats, the flange 7 could be shaped to provide a concave or rounded surface on the lower portion thereof to more effectively deflect the water and spray away from the transom 6. Since the flange 7 under certain circumstances .may be subjected to considerable strain, thestrength of the flange 7 may be increased by the provisionof angle irons, not shown, connecting the transom 6 to the under portion of the flange 7, or by any other suitable means. Although the flange 7 is shown as being perpendicular to the transom 6 in Fig. 3, any positionin which the flange 7 is transverse to the transom 6 will achieve the desired result of deflecting water and spray to prevent entry of the Water and spray into the interior of the boat. The flange "7 is further shown in Fig. Zas being positioned with its longitudinal 'axis substantially parallel to the top 9 and bottom 10 of the transom 6.

The flange 7 is shown in Fig. 2,.as extending completely across the widthofthetransom 6 from one side 11 thereof to the opposite side 12. In order to efficiently prevent the entry of water and spray into the boat, the flange 7 should preferably extend completely across the width of the transom .6, particularly where the top 9 of the transom 6 is the widest portion of the, transom. in the case where the top 9 of thetransom 6 is of lesser width than some other portion ofthetransom, the flange should preferably be at least as long asthe width of the top 9 of the transom 6 andin vertical alignment or register therewith. Where the boat is powered by an outboard motor attached'to'thetransom 6 as is well known in the art, the flange 7 should be provided with a notch 15' as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, or other suitable clearance means provided so that the flange does not interfere with the housing of the outboard motor.

In the alternative embodiment of applicants invention shown in Fig. 4, the flange 7, which is preferably constructed of a'suitable rust resistant material is shown mounted on the transom 6 by means of wood screws 13. The flange '7 has end plates 14 depending from each end thereof to form a long, narrow channel member for deflecting water and spray. The cross section of the flange 7 in the portion of the flange intermediate the end plates 14 is concave downward or substantially 'G shaped to provide a convenient handle for lifting the rear end of the boat and an efficient hydrodynamic surface 16 for deflecting water and spray with the least possible turbulence. The flange 7 also has a lip portion 17 along the outer edge facing the top 9 of thetransom 6 providing handle means by which a person in the water may easily and conveniently lift himself into the boat.

In operation, any water or spray arising above the water level as by striking the transom 6 and tending to flow or pass along the transom over the top thereof is deflected upon striking flange 7, which is of necessity positioned above the water level, and prevented from flowing over the top 9 of the transom into the interior of the. boat.

Although several embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a boat to be disposed within the water and having a transom of predetermined width, the combination of: deflector means comprising a longitudinal channel member transversely mounted on said transom intermediate its top and bottom and in generally parallel relationship with the top of said transom, said channel member having depending flange end portions and defining a substantially 'C-shaped cross section between said end portions thereof with the concave portion of said member facing away from said transom top to provide a smooth hydrodynamic surface positioned above and facing the water for deflecting water and spray arising above the surface of the water to prevent said water and spray from flowing along the transom and over the top thereof, and said channel member extending along the width'of said transom for a distance substantially as great as said predetermined width.

2. In a boat to be disposed within the water and having a transom of predetermined width to which an outboard motor is removably secured, the combination of: deflector means comprising a channel member transversely mounted on said transom intermediate its top and bottom in generally parallel relationship with the top of said transom, said channel member having depending flange end portions substantially at right angles to the remainder of said channel member and defining a substantially C- shaped cross section between said end portions thereof with the concave portion of said member facing away from said transom top to provide a smooth hydrodynamic surface positioned above and facing the water for deflecting water and spray arising above the surface of the water to prevent said water and spray from flowing along said transom and over the top thereof, said member extending along the width of said transom for a distance substantially as great as said predetermined width, and said member further having a notch intermediate said end portions for accommodating the housing of said outboard motor to prevent any interference between said outboard motor and said channel member.

3. In a boat to be disposed within the water and having a transom of predetermined width to which an outboard motor is removably secured, the combination of: deflector means comprising a channel member transversely mounted on said transom intermediate its top and bottom in generally parallel relationship with the top of said transom, said channel member having depending flange end portions substantially at right angles to the remainder of said channel member and defining a substantially C- shaped cross section between said end portions thereof with the concave portion of said member facing away from said transom top to provide a smooth hydrodynamic surface positioned above and facing the water for deflecting water and spray arising above the surface of the water to prevent said water and spray from flowing along said transom and over the top thereof, said member extending along the width of said transom for a distance substantially as great as said predetermined width, said member having a lip facing said transom top and extending along one edge of said member to provide a handle to facilitate entering said boat from the water, and said member further having a notch intermediate said end portions for accommodating the housing of said outboard motor to prevent any interference between said outboard motor and said channel member.

4. In a boat to be disposed within the water and having a transom of predetermined width to which an outboard motor is removably secured, the combination of: deflector means comprising an elongated flange of generally rectangular cross section transversely mounted on said transom intermediate its top and bottom in generally parallel relationship with the top of said transom, said flange providing a surface positioned above and facing the water for deflecting water and spray arising above the surface of the water to prevent said water and spray from flowing along said transom and over the top thereof, said member extending along the width of said transom for a distance substantially as great as said predetermined width, and said member further having a notch intermediate its ends for accommodating the housing of said outboard motor to prevent any interference between said outboard motor and said channel member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,262,219 Armstrong Nov. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 246,635 Great Britain Feb. 4, 1926 479,086 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1938 646,522 France July 16, 1928 

